Facades
by vanilla.blues
Summary: An AU Fic. Everyone has a facade. For Jellal, it is his title as member of the National Magic Council and Ten Wizard Saint. For Erza, it is her image as a strong, undefeatable warrior of Fairy Tail. What each is left to discover, is the facade the other has been hiding behind all these years...and if fate will ever allow their broken love to be pieced back together again.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone! :D**

**This is my very first fanfiction, so hope you enjoy reading it. Basically, everything is different in this timeline. Ur never lost Ultear and so Jellal was never possessed, but the events in the Tower of Heaven did happen. Grandpa Rob, Sho, Milliana, Wally and Simon have all joined Fairy Tail and Jellal is now a member of the council (not as Siegrain: he doesn't exist). Everyone else's backgrounds are pretty much the same as the normal plot. Erza's situation is a little different and characters may seem a OC, but this is my first try so spare me please! Have a read and enjoy! :) **

**Disclaimer: Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail. I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters. This is written purely for entertainment purposes, and because Jerza is such an amazing pairing. **

* * *

_Magnolia Central train station, Morning_

Three days.

Three days, Erza realised.

Three days since she'd stopped thinking about him.

And now, come to think of it, she was back to square one and thinking about him all over again.

Wondering where he was. What he was doing. Who he was with. How many girlfriends he'd dumped by now.

The usual.

It was difficult because harder she tried not to, the more she thought about him. She should've been over him by now. It was seven years -almost eight- since she had last seen him in person, but that was when she was a weak, gullible little wimp with something that could hardly be called a chest, and he was ….he was everything.

He was born a leader, with enough confidence and charisma to lead an army and a pure golden heart that could warm even the coldest man. His stance, his demeanour, his looks, just oozed _love me please_.

And who was a helpless, naïve girl but to fall for a boy like him in an instant?

It was no wonder he attracted girls like moths to a flame, if not even more so seven years later. He had had enough attention from the prying eyes of the media. Appearing in almost every issue of the Sorcerer Weekly, being a guest of celebrity talk shows, attending fancy soirees for the rich and beautiful of Fiore - yes, Jellal was well integrated into the high society of aristocrats.

When he had received the position of one of the Ten Wizard Saints, the public's reactions were explosive. Most were greatly inspired and impressed by his achievement, while others were against appointing a seventeen year old _boy_ the title of one of the Ten Holy Mages.

Jellal was the centre of all gossip, not only being the youngest mage to ever gain such a prestigious title, but also recently having been selected as a member of the Magic Council. It was phenomenal.

Boarding the train, Erza handed her ticket to the train master and searched for a seat. She always preferred sitting next to the window. It was unfortunate that her guild mates could not accompany her for the trip; they'd all left two days before and were most likely in Era at the moment. Everyone agreed that a week's stay would allow enough time to attend the court hearing and tour the area a little. She lay an elbow on the window ledge, resting her cheek in her right palm. Ever since the national emissary from the council had arrived on Fairy Tail's doorstep, the knight could not help but feel apprehensive of the forthcoming court case. She admit that Fairy Tail had been causing excessive destruction on every mission and that they partied so often the furniture needed repairing almost every day, but that was no reason to want to separate the guild. Even the Phantom Lord incident, which was the reason for Makarov's arrest, was purely self defense. She would never let Fairy Tail be declared an illegal guild. She would fight until the very end no matter what came her way, and she was not afraid of failure or facing those damned magic council members.

_You're afraid of facing Jellal..._

No. She pushed the thought away and clenched her fists.

_He saved your life and you betrayed him..._

_You left him to die..._

The thoughts lingered like unspoken words. Erza buried her face in her hands. The voices would not leave no matter how hard she tried. They were the same voices that had been haunting her for seven years.

The guilt was eating away at her heart, tearing and ripping it to pieces. If she ever met him again would it be too late to say sorry?

Would he turn away with hatred-filled eyes and spit at her feet? But it was his fault in the first place, wasn't it? He shouldn't have come to rescue her. If only he'd stayed where he was instead of trying to act the part of a knight in shining armour, then maybe he wouldn't have been left behind. Grandpa Rob had assured her time and time again –she was forced to act against her own will, the ships _had_ to leave and the thousands of slaves aboard were saved. At the expense of Jellal's life. The tower of heaven had exploded, the raging fire had engulfed the crumbling structure and the waves brought the ships safely away. When Erza turned around the tower was gone.

* * *

"Excuse me, Miss. Is this seat taken?"

Erza whipped around, suddenly broken out of her deep thoughts. As soon as she recognised the shock of spiky blonde hair her face brightened with delight.

"Sho! What are you doing here?"

Laughing, Erza wrapped Sho in a warm hug. Though for the blonde it was quite painful, what with Erza wearing her usual armour. She was smiling but as the cliché goes…it didn't reach her eyes. It was dangerous when Erza tried to hide her feelings. He didn't want a repeat of his older sister's early teenage years. When her heart was shattered into pieces so small there was almost no hope of fixing it together again.

The requip mage let go of Sho, gesturing for him to have a seat beside her.

"I thought you'd gone with the rest of Fairy Tail," Sho posed as more of a question than a statement. Erza shook her head, "Most of them left the day before yesterday. I stayed back because I…um, had some business to take care of."

Bad mistake. The redhead knew that once she stuttered, Sho would know immediately that she was lying. The blonde chose to let her little blunder go.

"Well," Sho pouted, "I'm here because I heard about the case. The Phantom Lord attack happened two months ago and they're only bringing it up _now_. Grandpa Rob said he wanted to come along too, but you know with his bad back and everything…"

Erza 'hmm'ed in agreement and the fell into silence. The train grumbled to life and began chugging along the line of bumpy tracks. They resumed their casual conversation; Sho had recently completed his first solo mission, though washing the dishes and polishing wineglasses at the village bar was not how he expected it would be. Still, it was his first solo mission.

The morning was slowly blending into a warm, sunny afternoon and there was the bubbling chatter of passengers aboard. The carriage rattled at every turn. The red-haired mage could feel her eyes drooping lower and lower, Sho's exciting recounts of his past travels fading to a dull hum.

A week ago, he'd gone to visit their 'family'. Simon, Milliana and Wally were still currently doing a job in Hargeon Town, and Grandpa Rob was still watering his garden everyday in his new holiday home. They had all apologized for not being able to support the guild, but had faith that Fairy Tail would be able to pull through and beat those _'old council geezers'_. Of course, they were sure Gray's 'sister' Ultear would be in full support of FairyTail, and there was Yajima-sama who was a good friend of Makarov, and there was Jellal who would definitely help them, and-

Erza stiffened.

Sho suddenly stopped before his mouth could get ahead of him. _Idiot!_ He mentally slapped himself. He just hoped he hadn't messed things up already.

Mentioning Jellal was taboo.

"Nee-san…" Sho began awkwardly. He knew he was stepping on thin ice, but broaching the topic was inevitable. Erza avoided his eyes, looking at the passing countryside instead, though not really seeing anything at all.

"Nee-san, we're going to have to face him eventually whether we like it or not," he said carefully. It was like dipping his toes in hot water, or like approaching a lion's den. Erza didn't move an inch. The blonde continued.

"I don't know how much he's changed since…well, since that time at Porlyusica's," he cringed when Erza clenched her fists, "but I'm sure he's still him inside. We don't know enough about Je- uh, him to really judge him."

Erza's eyes narrowed but her eyes remained locked outside the window. Sho was growing impatient. His voice rose a notch, tone restrained as though on the verge of growing angry.

"Listen to me! I know it's been years since we last saw him but you can't stay like this forever. You two will have to make up someday and why not now? When you finally have a chance to meet him!" His voice lowered to a harsh whisper in order not to be heard, "You've been staying away from him for seven damn years, and if you guys don't sort out your argument then I'll…then I'll-"

"Then you'll what?" Erza snapped, her gaze furious. Sho almost whimpered under her stare, but stood his ground. He levelled her glare with a pathetic glare of his own.

Pathetic, but a glare nonetheless.

"…I don't know. But what I do know is that Jellal is still our friend even though he _may_ have turned his back on us. Grandpa Rob said Jellal was just -oh, I don't know maybe he just wasn't himself that day. Whatever it was that he said to you, I'm sure he didn't mean it."

Erza lips were pressed into a thin line, her eyes shaded by her fringe. Seven years ago, when Jellal had been washed up on Fiore's shores and had somehow ended up in Porlyusica's care, they set out immediately to meet him. The redhead was overjoyed, it was the most wonderful news she'd heard in her life. Jellal was alive.

Months before, Erza, Simon, Milliana, Wally and Sho had joined FairyTail with Grandpa Rob. At first, the freedom was hard to grow accustomed to but day after day their scars slowly healed. But despite all the newfound happiness and friendship and overwhelming joy, there was always that one empty spot at the table. She imagined a blue haired, tattooed boy at the head of the table telling exciting stories, lighting up the guild and drawing people to him. There would be bouts of roaring laughter and she would fall in love with him _again and again and again_ and never grow tired of it.

Every day, the knight tried her hardest to live in the present, not the past. It was a while before she finally spoke, her voice so soft it was hardly audible,

"He said he hated me."

By the widening of his eyes, she could see that the blonde was honestly surprised. _I hate you, Erza. _Those were the very last words Jellal had said to her, before softly shutting the door and cleaning slicing her off from his life right there and then. He had been twelve and bandaged from head to toe and washed upon the shore just days earlier. She remembered his voice had been almost robotic, like words replayed from a tape recorder and he had looked at her with an expression of utter contempt.

It was his eyes that scared her the most. They had been completely devoid of life and seemed to stare into empty space.

"I find that very hard to believe, Erza."

Said mage chose not to respond. When Sho called her by name she knew he was being serious and completely honest. The young blonde risked a glance at her from the corner of his eyes; her arms were crossed, head bowed and lips quivering. He knew only one person who could reduce Titania to such a state.

It was obvious to Sho that Jellal loved her. But, that was for Jellal to tell her.

During those difficult times in the tower, when the will to live was crushed with every crack of a whip and nights when looming shadows would haunt them from the cold stone walls, Jellal was like the sun. He was their hope and courage and faith in that godforsaken tower of heaven. Deciding to attempt to broach the subject one more, Sho quietly began to reminisce hoping that Erza would just listen for once.

"I still miss the times when we were a family, and he was like our big brother. I was only able to endure that horrible place because he gave us all hope. Nee-san, can you imagine what it would've been like without Jellal? He took care of us, a-and he even broke out of our cell to rescue you! Don't you remember-"

" –I don't want to remember." Her words stung like ice. That ended the conversation.

Wheezing like an old man, the train continued on its troublesome journey down rickety tracks as clouds of smoke gushed out of the engine. The background hubbub drowned out the tense silence between siblings and nothing was said between them for the rest of the journey.

* * *

Jellal had made his first debut to the world at the age of fifteen. What happened in those three mysterious years, Erza never knew but once the tattooed mage stepped into the outside world, he had soaked up the media's attention like a dry sponge.

It was said in an interview that Jellal had been taken under the wing of Ur. She was a renowned ice mage, mother of Ultear the time mage and was once the sensei of Gray and Lyon. Erza had never met Ur in her life, but according to Gray she was compassionate, loving and the kind of mother any child would dream of. The kind of person Jellal needed in his life, Erza thought. The day she realised that Jellal had grown into someone to far for her to grasp hold of, the red haired mage had let go of all the feelings chaining her down and decided once and for all, to stop loving Jellal. It felt like true freedom.

Rumours had spread about Jellal's past, though the majority of media had conjured their usual loads of absolute bullshit and made up the most ridiculous stories. It was hard to tell between truth and lies when reading the daily tabloids.

Many assumed he'd easily sailed his way to the top, having been the sole heir to the Fernandes fortune. He had status, reputation and wealth insured before he was even born, and all life's pleasures were handed to him on a silver plate. Jellal had been born into a family of powerful, elite mages renowned for their aptitude and skill -the Fernandes' were the epitome of aristocracy, the highest noble class in Fiore. All he had to do was simply be born and life couldn't have gotten any better. He'd never had to lift a finger in his entire life.

These were some of many rumours that circled Fiore. All were far from the truth.

The speculation about Jellal's family was true, but few people had knowledge of what Jellal's life had truly been like. Almost a decade ago, the blue-haired boy's sudden disappearance and the massacre of his entire family did not make front page news. The Fernandes' were a reclusive, secretive family. Even their servants kept to themselves. The only times society had a glimpse of the blue-haired nobles were at official parties and functions. That was all.

The mystery surrounding the Fernandes massacre was never solved, but authorities had reported not a single person was left alive, noble or servant. Hundreds of dead bodies littered the hallways and burgundy carpets were soaked black with blood. They had happened upon an enormous portrait hung on the wall of the main ballroom. It was a beautifully painted masterpiece; Lord Fernandes stood tall and proud, his hand resting on the chair that the Lady sat politely upon. On her lap was a child. He had the same signature blue hair as the Lord and Lady, and he had a peculiar red tattoo along one side of his face. The young boy's expression was older than his age, as though his soul had experienced things I child never should. One would think it was the portrait of a perfect family, but if one looked closer at the boy sitting on the Lady's lap, it was a clear as day.

He was not her child.

The little boy's body was never found, so it was assumed that he was never present in the first place. All this, outsiders had no knowledge of. This information was kept top secret and known only by the highest authorities. What Erza did know, was that Jellal had come from a noble family and that was all there was to it.

Erza remembered the day she found out, Jellal had been a slave for a full two years before she'd arrived. She did not know how to respond. And she did not want to think about him anymore.

Events of the past were locked up in a corner of her heart. The key was thrown away in some endless abyss so that if she ever searched for it, Erza would be swallowed in darkness so thick she would never be herself again.

* * *

_Era Central train station, Early Evening_

The sight of Era's bustling train station greeted Erza as the train grudgingly came to a stop. The sky was a mixture of blended orange and pink hues, the sun sinking halfway into the horizon. She was surprised at the size of the crowd, teeming with all mages of all kinds. She was even more surprised having spotted Gray who was waiting patiently (behind the yellow line), hands in pockets and scowling at the rude people who bumped into him.

Alighting the train, with Sho trailing behind, she made a beeline for the ice mage. The roar of the horde made it nearly impossible for him to hear her.

"Gray!" she called again, "Over here!"

Sho waved frantically with his free arm, lugging a heavily packed suitcase with the other. Hearing Erza's calls, the ice mage squinted and searched the sea of faces for a familiar glow of bright red. It didn't take him long to find his armoured friend and Sho tagging along behind her.

"Erza, you're finally here," Gray groaned, running a hand through his jet black hair, "You have no idea how long you've made me wait."

"_Made_ you wait?" Erza asked slightly annoyed, one eyebrow raised.

"U-Uh no..I meant, um…Look, are you two busy tonight?"

Sho and Erza exchanged glances. The blonde shrugged, "Actually I have an appointment with a friend later this evening, why do you ask?"

The redhead's curious eyes searched the crowd for a tuft of electric blue hair. She chuckled darkly at herself; what were the chances of _that_ happening?

"Ur invited me over for dinner tonight and she wants me to bring along some friends. I think she mentioned somethin' about Ultear being there too, so I think we might be able to convince her to support Fairy Tail in the upcoming court case. Flame-brain and Lucy are coming. Juvia is too, I think. So Erza, are ya free?"

She responded with an absent-minded 'hn' and continued looking past Gray's shoulder, unable to shake off the feeling that maybe, just maybe, something one in a million could happen.

"Oi, is that a yes?!" Gray snapped impatiently.

Erza looked at the ice mage and nodded, expression displeased with gray's impoliteness. Not having payed attention, she vaguely heard something about being invited to have dinner with a friend of Gray's. Or was it Natsu's? Honestly, she just wanted a nice warm shower and a good nights' sleep. Sho sighed dramatically and adjusted his grip on the suitcase handle, "Can we just get to the hotel already? My arm is dying."

* * *

_Era National Magic Counil Headquarters, Late Evening _

"So, are you coming?"

A blue haired mage, wearing a classy white attire and nose lodged deep in a thick tome was seated comfortably in an armchair. He blinked twice and reluctantly tore his eyes from the page.

"What was that? I wasn't listening," he murmured. The time mage let out a huff of annoyance and rested a hand on one hip, "I said, my mother has invited us over for dinner tonight. She invited Gray and a few of his Fairy Tail friends so we could all get to know each other. Are you coming?"

"No thank you, tell her I'm busy," came the quick answer. Dimming sunlight filtered through the long windows and bled into the rich, opulent rugs of the council library. The rows of dusty shelves were lined with books of all shapes and sizes. It was long past opening hours, but an exception was made for their favourite blue haired visitor. Of course, when the librarian's apprentice was a young, pretty girl with nothing inside that thick skull of hers, Jellal Fernandes was always welcome. Ultear walked briskly, the clacking of heels muffled by the thick carpet and snatched the book from his hands.

"I don't think you have a choice in this matter," she said firmly.

"Why not?" he argued childishly, standing up and crossing his arms.

"She has kindly invited us to dinner, and tonight we actually have no meetings to attend and no business to take care of for once. You know she likes you –you're her favourite so the least you could do is show up and make her day," Ultear said. The tattooed mage glanced outside at the setting sun, considering for a moment and made up his mind.

"Alright," he sighed, and her face lit up, "but I'll be a little late. I have some leftover paperwork-"

"That's not a good excuse-"

"-but I will be there," he assured and rested his hands on either side of Ultear's waist. He leaned his forehead against hers, and she noticed the sides of his eyes that were sagging from fatigue. The time mage felt her heart rate double in speed and warmth flood into her cheeks. Jellal grinned.

"Now, can I have my book back?" Ah, so that was what this was about, Ultear thought –although her thoughts were already quite muddled up from the sudden close proximity with the handsome mage. She clutched the book tighter not willing to give in.

"Pretty please?" Jellal pleaded, leaning closer and wrapping his arms more fully around her. To an onlooker, they may have looked like a couple, but she knew better. There was only one person in Jellal's heart and it was not and never would be her. Chuckling and handing him the tome, she pulled herself from his embrace and turned swiftly, walking toward the exit doors.

"I'll see you in an hour, then," she called. Jellal faced the windows, arms folded behind his back and waited for the sound of the door clicking shut. The panoramic view overlooking Era was breathtaking from the colossal library window; it was especially beautiful at night, when a myriad of lights would envelop the cityscape. He was sure Ur wouldn't mind him being a little late –for once he had no responsibilities to attend to and was most definitely not about to miss out on this one chance to view Era at night.

Little did he know, tonight he was about to meet the girl he first fell in love with for the first time in seven years.

* * *

**Drop in a review if you have the time, and thank you lots for reading! :D **


	2. Chapter 2

**Woot! I've finally updated *fistpump*. **

**Thank you to all who favourited, followed and reviewed! :) So here's the second chapter, enjoy~**

**! HOLD ON A SECOND...Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail. Sadly, a big, fat, hairy, Jerza-shipping troll does. His name is Hiro Mashima. **

* * *

She felt like a turtle without a shell.

"Erza, I honestly don't understand why you wear armour all the time –just look at yourself! I wish I could look as pretty as you do in that dress," Lucy sighed, pouting comically and crossing her arms. The red haired mage thanked her politely, albeit somewhat awkwardly. No one had really complimented her about her appearance before. Well, except for…Erza shook her head for the umpteenth time that night. Lately, _the idiot_ had been occupying her thoughts more often than usual and it was like trying to swat away the most frustrating fly on Earthland. One minute she would be casually walking down the path and the next she would be standing in the middle of the street lost in some flashback or another. Once or twice, Erza had caught herself unconsciously searching for him in the crowd, hoping that by some ridiculous chance she would accidentally bump into him. Yes, of course –then they would make up immediately, get married the next day and live happily ever after. Erza laughed derisively at herself. When had she let her old teenage fantasies get the better of her?

"Is something wrong, Erza?" the blonde asked concernedly, "You've been talking to yourself a lot,"

"H-Have I?" Erza asked a little embarrassed. She had been spacing out a lot lately as well. "What…What did you hear?"

"Oh, nothing," Lucy replied sweetly in a sing-song voice, "you were mumbling a lot, but I'm sure I heard something about getting _married_."

"Y-You must have heard wrong!" Erza exclaimed quickly, suddenly on the defensive, "It's…It's nothing."

She fanned herself with a hand and laughed rather unconvincingly, walking ahead and inadvertently bumping into a few civilians. Lucy smirked and muttered an inaudible, "Whatever you say," before trailing behind her red haired friend, wondering what exactly had been on Erza's mind ever since she'd arrived at the hotel.

It was not yet half past seven, which was the arranged time, so the Fairy Tail mages had half an hour or so to explore the city. The atmosphere was buzzing with excitement; roads were filled with night stalls on either side, selling everything from magic potions to flying carpets and the uplifting melodies of gypsy music made the hundreds of lights strung up seem to shine even brighter.

Natsu and Happy were already drooling puddles from the warm, welcoming aromas of sizzling roasts and barbecues. It was nearly impossible to make one's way through the growing crowd without bumping into a few shoulders and having to duck under a flying carpet or two. Juvia had dragged a reluctant Gray-sama to the enormous town square, where mages and civilians alike were dancing along to folk music and eager children swarmed the game stalls, hoping to win huge, fluffy soft toys.

Compared to their quiet, peaceful Magnolian village, the thrilling city of Era was a stark contrast. All too soon, it was time for dinner and the group headed for Ur's home.

* * *

To say that the redhead felt uncomfortable was an understatement. Never had she ventured out in public without donning some form of armour, but tonight the sky was quickly growing heavy with grey clouds and she was afraid that her armour might rust on the way to Ur's. At least that was the excuse she gave herself. As they strolled down the busy streets, Lucy noticed young men eyeing her friend and whistling loudly, some even making flirtatious remarks. It wasn't that surprising, with Erza looking so different it was almost difficult to recognise the mighty Titania.

She wore a simple, spaghetti strapped black dress with a sweetheart neckline and ended at mid-thigh, hugging her curvaceous body. The requip mage had her waist-length haired tied in a high ponytail on this warm Friday night. She didn't miss the looks men were giving her either, sauntering past dumbstruck shop owners and angry girlfriends trying to get their boyfriends' jaws off the ground.

Erza couldn't deny that she liked the attention.

It was a completely new experience. To feel _wanted_. To be _desired_. Maybe it was the fact that she'd never dared to appear in public like this or the fact that she'd been foolishly trailing in the shadow of one person all her life that –

No, Erza corrected herself. She'd stopped loving him years ago.

It was all in the past now. Her young teenage self was a naïve, senseless little girl who had been so absolutely unbelievably _stupid_. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Erza was nineteen now –stronger, wiser and she vowed never to make that same mistake again. She had put him on a false pedestal, and was gloriously rewarded with heartbreak that nearly tore her in half. Her mistake.

Simon's advances in the last few years did not go unnoticed by the red haired mage. He could never pluck up the courage to actually ask her out, despite everyone's support and teasing Erza felt uncomfortable with his recent newfound confidence. The requip mage would make excuses and accept the longest solo missions to avoid the brunette. When he put his arm around her waist as a 'friendly' sign of affection, she felt the urge to shove him off. When he kindly offered his coat during those cold, winter days she politely refused (and got a cold the next day). Simon's unwelcome flirting frustrated her to no end but she tolerated it, for the sake of keeping their friendship. Erza did not want to seem as though she was leading him on, but the brunette couldn't take the hint that no, she was not interested and yes, she wanted him to leave her alone.

Simon was like a brother to her, someone she could count on when she needed a friend and someone to lean on when times were hard. Just the idea of loving him back in a romantic way felt so…wrong. Years of contemplation had the redhead asking herself, just what was holding her back? In the foreign towns the requip mage had travelled through on jobs, or even in her hometown of Magnolia, there would be the occasional handsome, daring mage or civilian with enough guts to ask Titania on a date. If she had given up her (ridiculous, stupid, silly, idiotic) love for Jellal centuries ago, then why had she turned down every single offer? She knew not the answer.

It wasn't like she was still in love with Jellal.

Perhaps, they had been good friends as slaves in the Tower of Heaven –friends and nothing more. But circumstances were different now. The blue haired jerk had turned his back on them and now that Erza knew he hated her what was the point in continuing to feel anything for him? He was a traitor. He had everything now –fame, power, wealth –and lived as an aristocrat of the highest class. What more could he want? _Pfft. Spoiled, rich brat._

Erza sighed. There she went again, her thoughts unconsciously straying to him.

"Yo, Erza, this way," Gray called tiredly, gesturing for her to hurry up and join the group. She could see Juvia clinging onto Gray's arm like her life depended on it. The ice mage looked agitated but at least he was letting her hold onto him.

_Spaced out and almost lost your way again_, Erza reprimanded herself. She quickened her pace and hurried to join her friends.

* * *

When they arrived at the doorstep, Erza wasn't the only one surprised at the modest size and appearance of the civilian home. It almost seemed too ordinary.

"Gray, are you sure we have the right address?" Lucy asked. The thin three storey building reminded her almost of her own apartment building, just a little larger. It was connected wall to wall with other similar structures on either side and the windows glowed a warm shade of yellow ochre. For the home of one of the most renowned ice mages in history and her daughter who also just happened to be a member of the magic council, this was the exact opposite of what they'd been expecting. Where were the lush green gardens, the enormously luxurious mansion and the polite butlers who were supposed to greet them at the shiny, black gates?

The entire reason Lucy insisted Erza wear a formal, black dress was because they were meant to be having dinner at a high-class estate with high-class furnishings and high-class cutlery conversing with high-class people. _Making a good first impression is especially important,_ Lucy had reminded her.

The ice mage gave Lucy a look that clearly expressed his annoyance.

"Yes, I'm sure. Be grateful you had me with the directions, if it'd been hothead over here we'd be on the other side of Fiore by now."

"What did you say, droopy eyes?!" came a furious yell. Natsu's clenched fist erupted in magic flames as he lunged at the ice mage. A brawl of foul name-calling ensued, along with a badly broken lamp post and pummelling and violent thrashing that would've woken up the dead. Juvia watched with lovey-dovey eyes, cheering for her beloved Gray-sama.

"Stop it you guys! Natsu!" Lucy screamed, waving her arms frantically, "Happy, do something!"

The cheeky exceed flew circles around the fight, egging them both on and eagerly adding fuel to the fire. Lucy gave out an exasperated groan and was about to summon Aquarius, when the brawl suddenly stopped. Natsu and Gray still had their hands at each other's necks, but their heads were turned toward the red haired mage.

It was really quite unexpected.

Erza was standing with her back facing them, repeatedly banging her head onto the metal pole of a signpost. She stopped for a moment, took a deep breath, and then resumed thumping her head against the steel pole. Even Juvia had stopped ogling Gray to watch Titania uncharacteristically try to lose a few hundred brain cells.

She hadn't come to separate the ice mage and Salamander, she hadn't come to stop their fight or give them a harsh scolding and she hadn't come to beat them up and teach them yet another lesson.

"…Is Erza okay?" Natsu whispered _very loudly_. The banging stopped.

"Erza. Is. Very. Okay. Natsu." came an unexpected growl, low and warning like a dog ready to pounce. Her clenched grip around the thick pole tightened and soon there was the screech of crinkling metal. Everyone inwardly cringed. Erza kept her eyes closed and gritted her teeth, her forehead resting against the cool metal.

"What…what are you doing?" Lucy asked in a meagre voice lest she became a victim of Erza's wrath.

The redhead's shoulders were slumped. "Good question," she drawled. No matter how hard she tried, Erza could not stop thinking about the blue haired boy. It was almost as if her entire world revolved around him. All she wanted was some peace of mind and to rip a Jellal-looking dummy to_ itsy bitsy_ pieces.

Gray and Natsu had completely forgotten about their fight, which wasn't surprising seeing that either individual had just about the same attention span as a goldfish. Juvia spoke up,

"Juvia thinks Erza might not be feeling so well, she might be a little tired,"

"Mm," Gray nodded in agreement (much to Juvia's spastic delight), "you only just arrived today, Erza. Maybe you should head back to the hotel and get some rest,"

"Don't listen to ice princess! You _never_ get tired-"

"Natsu, you're not helping. Erza, I'll walk back to the hotel with you," Lucy offered kindly. The blonde really did want to meet the famed Ur and had been eagerly looking forward to the dinner, but a close friend would always come first in her list of priorities.

"I'll go with you too," added Gray concernedly, "You look like you're about collapse, Erza."

It took Erza three long seconds to come to terms with the fact that Gray was being unusually _caring_. Since when did the ice mage go out of his way to show kindness and consideration? She decided not to dwell too much on that thought. Shaking her throbbing head and politely declining, Titania really did not want any more blows to her pride. Erza was fine and did not need to be escorted to her hotel room by two people when she was perfectly capable of handling herself.

"Thank you, but I don't want to spoil your night. I'll be fine on my own. Erza sighed and gave a polite nod before rummaging through her purse and handing two small wrapped presents to Gray.

"This is for Ur and that is for Ultear," said Erza tiredly, pointing to each one, "Please give Ur my apologies." With that, she waved goodbye to the others and headed the opposite way she came. Their voices faded into the background as she mentally retraced her steps, trying to recall the easiest route back to a nice, warm bath and satin bed.

"B-Be careful!"

The red haired mage turned around to see Gray nervously rubbing the back of his neck. His voice lowered to a mumble and Erza could only catch a few words from this distance.

"I-I mean, you don't know who's out there and…urgh, what I'm trying t'say is-"

Erza laughed. He really could get too overprotective sometimes. Her expression softened.

"I will." Rounding the corner, Erza realised she hadn't the least idea where the hotel was. Oh well, she'd fine her way somehow.

Meanwhile, a certain ice water mage was watching a certain ice mage watch a certain requip mage walk away. Juvia couldn't describe the sinking feeling in her chest. As Erza's silhouette faded into the distance, Gray's features contorted into something that came close to disappointment. While Lucy and Natsu were arguing about who would ring the doorbell first, Happy landed on Gray's shoulder and lifted a paw in a mocking imitation to whisper into his ear.

"You lllliikkkeee her," Happy giggled, before shooting off and narrowly dodging an ice make attack. Gray grumbled and muttered something rude under his breath, but the denial never came. Juvia saw the dark red dusting his cheeks. She couldn't fathom why or when her beloved Gray-sama had begun looking at Titania in a new light. The hatred she had for Lucy dissipated the moment Gray had glanced at the redhead in a way he'd never looked at someone else before. When Erza had stepped out of that hotel room _her_ Gray-sama couldn't take his eyes off the beautiful red haired mage. So Juvia had dragged him as far away as possible in hopes of diverting his attention, to no avail. Lucy had not felt like much competition, but Erza…she was a different issue altogether. The redhead was so much stronger, so much more beautiful and had an aura that could make the strongest men cower at her feet. Juvia felt like a black crow would to a swan. All her fears were confirmed and the one and only love of her life was slipping through her fingers like quicksand.

"Gray! Your clothes!"  
Lucy face palmed as the ice mage swung a fist at Natsu. They burst into yet another explosive brawl, but this time Juvia wasn't cheering for her Gray-sama. She glanced at the blonde holding Natsu back trying to somehow handle the fight without Erza's help.

Perhaps Lucy wasn't her romantic rival after all.

* * *

The view really was spectacular.

Era seemed to truly come alive at night, when mages soared by on magic carpets and the sound of music and laughter filled the air. Jellal wondered why he hadn't taken time off sooner. Reluctantly pulling his hands out of his pockets, he jumped off from his position on the rooftop and landed stealthily onto a lower slate, cautiously slipping into the shadows.

He had changed into a set of darker, less recognisable clothing. Black boots, dark grey cargo pants, and finger-less gloves. He had swapped his usual sleeveless turtleneck for one that was turtleneck-less as it really could get quite uncomfortable at times. His calf length coat was a navy blue so dark it bordered on black. Jellal pulled the hood further over his head, feeling like some kind of secret agent in an action movie. He hadn't had this much fun in years. The excitement and adrenaline was pumping through his veins. Calculating eyes searched the area for patrolling guards and toad servants. All guards on the graveyard shift probably thought he'd gone home along with the other council members. The faint whistling of an approaching guard instantly alerted his sharp hearing, and Jellal receded deeper into the shadows.

It was vital that no one saw him tonight.

_Should I knock him out?_ Jellal mused. It would have been a good idea, but where was the fun in that? Coughing rather loudly, Jellal attempted to provoke the poor guy.

"W-Who's there!?"

The knight was already shaking, his knees nearly giving out from under him. He waved his spear in all directions, eyes wide and scared out of his wits. Jellal inwardly sighed. _I really need to speak to the others about improving security. It is absolutely pathetic._

It was long past working hours and all windows and doors were locked, effectively eliminating any chances he had of secretly sneaking back inside. There were other options, but the most convenient way to his destination was through the underground passage. Leaving the trembling guard to his own devices, the bluenette furtively searched the enormous building for any forgotten, unlocked windows. Using magic was not an option, not in a place where the slightest hint of magic could be easily detected.

He could not risk failure. Not with Fairy Tail's potential disbandment on the line.

His persistence was rewarded with a half-locked window, as if it had been shut in haste. Budging the window, he effortlessly slinked into the dark room and closed the window behind him. Detecting no other presences in the vicinity, he stood up from his crouch and padded quietly past the door. Any idiotic burglar who would dare attack him now would be facing death in the face.

Moonlight shined softly through the tall arched windows. It was eerily calming. Walking briskly down the corridors with an elegance that was impossible to match, Jellal arrived at the basement and silently entered the private study. Not many knew of this room, and even fewer knew of the entrance to one of Era's most notorious prisons.

The stone walls were lined with cracks and corners infested with tangled cobwebs. Thick sheets of dust lined the mahogany tables like icing on cake. A strongly scented candle burned brightly on one such desk, but it did nothing to dissipate the odour of ancient, rotting books. On the far side of the room, a series of bookshelves lined the walls, tightly packed with tomes that had never seen daylight in centuries. Jellal glanced at the candle, wondering which guard had left it there, and reached the nearest shelf in three swift strides.

He pulled out the thinnest book, which in actuality was the handle to the secret passage, and waited patiently for the dusty bookshelf to automatically slide sideways, revealing a dimly lit spiral staircase.

So cliché, yet no one would have guessed.

The large steps were bordered by stone walls on either side, the width roughly that of someone's shoulder span, similar to the structure of a lighthouse. Just much, much more unnerving.

The bookshelf quietly closed, removing any trace of his presence. Stepping in, Jellal reached for the sconce on the stone wall and took down the lit torch. No meteor. No light or fire magic. He would have to do this the conventional way. Groaning, Jellal trudged down the uneven steps, praying that the fire would not burn out before he reached the underground prison.

The clacking of his boots against the limestone steps echoed as he plunged deeper underground. The air felt thinner and thinner, step after step. Jellal instantly dismissed the thought that he might be claustrophobic. The youngest mage to ever be granted title of ten Wizard Saint was frightened of small spaces? He'd drown a fish before that reached the jaws of the media. Whistling something off-tune to pass the time, Jellal mentally went through his plan, realising that shit, there wasn't a plan B and that shit, if he got caught it would be the end of him.

Fairy Tail had better get on their knees and thank him for what he was about to do.

Finally arriving at the end of the bottomless staircase, the bluenette scrutinized the glowing magic runes inside the marble arch. He was certain he was deep enough underground to use magic. Chuckling, he simply proceeded through the lines of hieroglyphics and continued along the labyrinth of dimly-lit hallways. Being a council member could get you away with a lot of things.

"J-J-Jellal-sama! What the… What are you doing here?!"

He whipped around to find a toad envoy half his height staring back at him. In a flash, the unfortunate toad had been put to sleep and his memories wiped clean. Prodding the limp body with his foot to confirm his magic worked, the tattooed mage heaved a sigh of relief. That was a close call. He frowned and stepped over the snoring toad.

"You really shouldn't speak to your superiors that way," admonished Jellal.

The thick, dusty air was difficult to breathe in but tolerable. Time was of essence and he payed no heed to the jeers and insults of criminals as he briskly walked through the dungeon cells. Even if the prisoners told the guards that he had been here, no one would believe them. Torches of fire were hung up on the walls and the flames flickered menacing shadows. Like a predator searching for its prey, the mage found his target in a matter of seconds.

The captive was imprisoned in a cell of his own, deemed too dangerous to be allowed near the regular cells. Magic runes were put in place of common steel bars. The prisoner lay like a broken doll in the furthest corner, engulfed by shadows and chained like a savage animal.

Jellal felt pity hesitantly creep into his heart, but remembered the evil and destruction this man had caused and hardened his expression.

"What brings you here?" a gruff voice came from the corner. His voice was like rocks against gravel.

"Why, can't I come to visit an old friend?" mocked Jellal, burying his hands into his pockets. The prisoner leaned forward, dim light shining across his features as he did so. Jellal raised an eyebrow. He looked like a kicked puppy. A very ugly kicked puppy.

"I lost my title months ago!" the figure snarled, his chains rattling, "I lost my reputation, I lost my money, I lost my power and now you bastards are locking me up in this shithole of a –"

" –Now is not the time to be whining," Jellal warned, "I have come strictly for business. And you _will_ cooperate," His tone was soft but threat and intimidation was laced in its depths. Chains rattled again and throaty coughing erupted from the figure, his form violently shaking. If Jellal had not known better, he would've thought the man was laughing his head off.

"Business?" the prisoner wheezed, but grew interested, "What kind of business would someone like you have with me?"

Jellal smirked. Attention, check.

Curiosity, check.

Cooperation, check.

Looks like he didn't have to make a plan B. "I'm here to propose a deal, Jose."

* * *

Erza flexed her fingers. It had been so long since she'd last destroyed something.

The requip mage could have easily crumpled the signpost to pieces, but refrained from damaging anymore property. Regretting her actions from earlier, she unsteadily made her way through the surging crowds, glaring at men who whistled or stared at her for too long. The redhead felt lightheaded and a sharp pain pounded her temples whenever she turned her head too quickly. She wouldn't admit that half the reason she had chickened out at the last moment was because she was afraid of the possibility that Jellal might actually be at the dinner too. Banging her head against a metal pole did nothing to dispel her mind of beautiful blue hair and red tattoos. She was beginning to really lose her mind over…wait –_beautiful_ blue hair?

"Argh!" she growled, throwing a punch into nearest wall. The few civilians around her took a step back. Storming off, Titania had forgotten all about returning to the hotel and instead wandered aimlessly through town, rubbing the back of her arms as night settled in. She felt goose bumps prickle her skin as the cool breezes grew more frequent. Lucy had made her promise that tonight she would not requip into any form of armour no matter what the reason, and Titania never broke her promises. _I am never promising you anything again, Lucy._

Now here she was, in the middle of nowhere, wearing the thinnest clothing she had ever worn in her life and just when things could not get worse, Titania felt the first droplets of rain fall onto her nose.

Erza hated the rain.

She frantically searched for some kind of shelter. Realising she had stumbled upon yet another part of town, the redhead thanked the heavens for a small bakery that was still open for business. Cafés and retail outlets stood on each side of this less crowded road, but everyone had temporarily closed to join in the festivities. Revelling in the welcoming aroma of warm bread and pastries, Erza pushed open the glass door and immediately felt the tension in her muscles relax.

The bakery was fairly large and housed roughly a hundred people or so. Trying to get a better view, she inadvertently bumped into the back of a rather large man, and realised she had stumbled into a line queuing for tables.

"Hey, watch it!" the man barked over his shoulder. Erza mechanically bowed and apologised, keeping her eyes on the ground to avoid the glares of both him and his partner. She would have liked to start a fight right there and then, but reminded herself that she was in public, not Fairy Tail.

The red haired mage scanned the area and felt somewhat out of place; honey brown widened as she became aware of the candles and dim lighting, the walls' magenta hues, the lovely sets of tables for two and the embarrassingly huge majority of couples in the 'bakery'.

No, this bakery wasn't a bakery at all.

* * *

Appearing in public with his electric blue hair and peculiar blood red tattoo usually made him feel like a walking flashlight. Not tonight, though. The showers had driven away all the civilians and mages. He was partially grateful for the light rain, but had forgotten to bring an umbrella (not that he could find one in the underground prison) and was now soaking and drenched to the bone. Though, he did not mind in the least.

Jellal loved the rain.

He was already an hour late, so why not take his time and be _fashionably_ late? Ur wouldn't mind if he didn't end up coming to dinner, in fact, he was certain she would be delighted just seeing him. Ultear was a different issue.

He shuddered at the thought of the punishment that would be waiting for him at the door. Blinking the rain droplets out of his vision, the bluenette roamed the streets for some indication that he was nearby Ur's apartment, to find that he was hopelessly lost.

_Never use magic unless it is absolutely necessary, _Ur had warned him many times as a child. Shoulders sagging, he felt the temptation to use meteor but decided against it. Disobeying Ur was begging for trouble. People were hurriedly packing up their stalls and rushing under shelter. Thunder erupted from above and civilians scattered like mice, retreating to their homes as the lone, hooded figure meandered along the gloomy paths.

Strolling down the nearly empty streets, he spotted a warm glow in the distance and quickened his pace. The restaurant seemed rather familiar. Squinting at the name printed on the window in gold, fancy font, Jellal smiled to himself. Dinner could wait. He needed to pay a visit long due to his old friend Gusteau.

* * *

Erza was seriously considering strangling the waiter, donating his limbs to the kitchen and feeding them back to him. She gritted her teeth and looked anywhere but at the young man, who was dragging his eyes all over her form, leaning forward suggestively on the reception desk and boasting about his many glorious feats.

"…and then I knocked him out and he ran away like a total wimp! Can you believe that? Really, if it wasn't for me that old lady would have –"

"Been perfectly fine without your help," the redhead snapped, "shouldn't you be serving customers or something?"

"Oh, I'd serve you any day," he winked.

The rain poured down steadily as ever, and Erza kicked herself inwardly for stumbling into _Gusteau's _famed restaurant. Of all places to find shelter, she had to chance upon this forsaken place. Her expression hardening, Erza crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, blatantly ignoring the waiter. The fact that he was so openly flirting with her made her blood boil.

"Aw, sweetie, don't play so hard to get. You've been waiting for your date for quite a while," his voice turned husky, "Why don't you come home with me tonight?"

"I'd rather not."

The requip mage felt a vein explode on her forehead, but restrained from flinging the waiter smack into the opposite wall. She had lied about her 'date' that was due to arrive sometime soon in hopes that she would be allowed to stay inside, and it had worked. Then the idiotic waiter had chosen to give her some company. At first she had appreciated it but now he was just plain annoying. She planned to make a believable excuse and leave once the rain stopped, but the sky had been pouring incessantly for the past hour. If they found out she was lying about her date, she would be charged for loitering. If the requip mage stayed any longer she would be asked to leave, and where would she go then? Not a single soul was out on the streets.

Erza's pride had forced her to believe that she would be perfectly fine on her own and she regretted not having asked for directions earlier. The redhead was knee deep in the mess she created without any likelihood of getting out.

She would be wholly indebted to whoever could save her now.

* * *

Jellal tried pulling open the door, to no avail. Grumbling, he tried again but it would not budge even slightly and he grew impatient. Narrowing his eyes at the clearly printed '_push_' beside the gilded door handle, the blunette slapped his forehead, heaving a sigh as he entered the restaurant. A warm blast of air welcomed him and his clothes were automatically dried the moment he stepped onto the magic rug. His hair was still damp but at least he did no longer felt numb from soaking in the icy rain.

Golden brown eyes briefly flitted over the tables teeming with couples, the freshly painted walls, and chandeliers that hung low from the ceiling. Faint classical music played in the background. He scanned the area searching for any sign of the head chef Gusteau, when a waiter at the reception desk called out to him.

"Yo, buddy. Restaurant's closed. Just go home, dude," the young waiter called over her shoulder.

"Is that how you greet your guests?" she muttered under her breath, not bothering to turn around. Erza let out a sigh and rolled her eyes at his bluntness, her lips curving slightly upwards. He grinned at her, finally getting a positive reaction from the redhead and glanced over her shoulder again to frown at the weirdo.

The blue haired mage was temporarily taken aback by the waiter's rudeness, not having been spoken to like that for years. He wondered how exactly the young man had been employed in the first place. Gusteau would not have tolerated his attitude. Pulling back his hood, Jellal tried to hide a smirk as the waiter's eyes widened to the size of saucers.

"Sir!" he squeaked. His mouth opened and closed like a goldfish, unable to form an immediate apology and at a loss for words. Jellal briefly noticed a woman standing at the desk with her back to him, and for a second his heart skipped a beat. Her hair was so strikingly familiar.

No, it couldn't be.

His thoughts were instantly bombarded with memories he swore never to recall again. Memories of a scarlet haired, little girl. Of reaching out his hand to take hers and falling in love with the most beautiful smile he'd seen in the world. Of being left behind by the very girl who had given him her heart. Taking a deep breath and collecting himself, Jellal's voice came out much quieter than intended.

"Is Gusteau present today? I've come to pay him a visit, if he isn't busy at the moment."

Erza froze. The waiter's eyes darted to her, then over her shoulder, then back at her again. Her legs turned to stone her hands began to tremble uncontrollably. That voice –_his voice_ –was so different yet the same.

No, it couldn't be.

Her thoughts were instantly bombarded with memories she swore never to recall again. Memories of a blue haired, tattooed boy. Of taking his outstretched hand and falling in love with the most beautiful smile she'd seen in the world. Of leaving behind the very boy she had given her heart to. Releasing a shaky breath she didn't know she had been holding, the redhead felt his eyes boring into the back of her head.

Erza felt her heartbeat quicken as she slowly turned to look behind her shoulder.

She did not know if it was dread or joy that filled her heart that very moment, nor if she was aware that her heart had stopped beating completely, but the second his gold, amber eyes locked onto her hazel ones she knew there was no turning back.

"Jellal?"

"Erza?"

* * *

**Thanks once again for reading, and please review if you have the time. I love hearing your comments! **

**~Peace :D**


End file.
